Lake Oswego Reads Author Explores Earthquake Anxieties and Resilient Infrastructure

Emma Pattee's novel 'Tilt' sparks community conversation about disaster preparedness

Apr. 14, 2026 at 10:56pm

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A highly stylized, abstract illustration featuring a repeating silhouette of a pregnant woman's profile in vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow, conveying the themes of embodied experience and disaster preparedness at the heart of the novel 'Tilt'.The protagonist of 'Tilt' navigates a disaster on foot, sparking conversations about earthquake preparedness and resilient infrastructure.Lake Oswego Today

Author Emma Pattee's novel 'Tilt' draws from her own experiences as a pregnant Oregonian worried about a major earthquake. As the marquee event of the Lake Oswego Reads program, Pattee will discuss the book and its themes of emergency preparedness and infrastructure resilience with fellow author Henry Latourette Miller.

Why it matters

Pattee's novel has resonated far beyond the Pacific Northwest, sparking important conversations about collective action and leadership needed to address the region's earthquake risks, especially in vulnerable public buildings like schools.

The details

Pattee's novel 'Tilt' follows a pregnant protagonist, Annie, as she navigates the aftermath of a 9.0 earthquake that strikes the Portland metro area. Pattee drew inspiration from her own experience of being seven months pregnant and feeling anxious about a potential earthquake while at an IKEA store. The novel uses a stream-of-consciousness style to explore themes of cognitive bias and dissonance as Annie assesses the scale of the disaster on foot. Pattee also incorporated realistic details about infrastructure vulnerabilities, including the seismic reinforcement conditions of Portland schools.

  • Pattee's novel 'Tilt' was published last year.
  • The Lake Oswego Reads event featuring Pattee is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2026 at 7 p.m.

The players

Emma Pattee

Author of the novel 'Tilt' and a journalist who has reported extensively on natural disasters and climate change.

Henry Latourette Miller

Author of the Pacific Northwest Disaster Guide, who will discuss 'Tilt' with Pattee at the Lake Oswego Reads event.

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What they’re saying

“I think we'll probably talk a lot about earthquakes and a lot about the psychology of preparedness and the psychology of disaster. I think that probably we'll talk a little bit about, like, the mindset of trying to write a book that will change minds.”

— Emma Pattee, Author

“I have a lot of familiarity with cognitive bias and cognitive dissonance and I think I find it really interesting. It's something I've written about a lot in a climate context, and so, to me, this was sort of the most natural way that I could write about something that I have so much interest in already, but in a way that is a little bit more grounded.”

— Emma Pattee, Author

What’s next

The Lake Oswego Reads event featuring Emma Pattee and Henry Latourette Miller is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the Lakeridge High School auditorium. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance.

The takeaway

Pattee's novel 'Tilt' has sparked important conversations about earthquake preparedness and the need for more leadership and collective action to address infrastructure vulnerabilities, especially in public buildings like schools. The book's resonance beyond the Pacific Northwest shows the power of fiction to raise awareness and advocate for resilient communities.